9 minute read
Science
COLLEGE PREP COURSES
Biology (SCI102)
4 CU, this course (or SCI103) is required for all 9th graders This introductory course focuses on the big ideas of biology and sets the stage for active inquiry and participation. Topics include basic biochemistry, cellular processes, heredity, evolution, and ecology. Traditional teaching and learning methods and lab activities will be combined with the latest technology to give students a strong background for further study in upper-level biology and environmental science courses. Throughout the year, students will learn to work independently and develop deeper analytical skills in order to demonstrate understanding of content on lab activities and assessments.
Chemistry (SCI201)
4 CU, this course (or SCI202) is required for all 10th graders, Biology or Honors Biology is a prerequisite Chemistry is the study of the structure and properties of matter. Throughout this course, students become familiar with scientific methods and laboratory techniques, as well as historical developments and current advances in the field. In the first semester, students explore modern atomic structure and periodicity, inorganic nomenclature, and chemical bonding. In the second semester, students explore all types of chemical reactions, the states of matter, and behavior of solutions. Students end the year with a unit on atmospheric chemistry and climate change, linking topics from the first and second semester with current events and research in chemistry.
SEMESTER COURSES IN PHYSICS
Though the following courses are nonsequential, students will typically start with the Mechanics course, followed by one or more of the additional courses.
Physics: Mechanics (SCI351)
2 CU, open to students in grades 11-12, 1st semester This course is designed to be a starting point n physics that looks to understand and predict motion in the world around us. Topics covered include kinematics, projectiles, dynamics, circular motion, momentum and energy. The course looks at the connections between each new concept and its application to the world around us. Students will use algebra and trigonometry to solve classic problems, and incorporate skills in technology to assist in data collection, interpretation, and presentation. Students learn through classic experiments and investigations, and they design a culminating project to demonstrate their skills. Selecting a meaningful related topic for a deeper investigation could allow a curious student to understand how the face angle and club swing speed changes the projectile range of a golf ball or to see the balance between thrill and safety of their favorite amusement park ride.
Physics: Waves (SCI352)
2 CU, open to students in grades 11-12, 1st semester This course investigates the sights and sounds that make the world so interesting. Topics covered include harmonic motion, mechanical waves, sound, optics, and the electromagnetic spectrum, and the connections between each new concept and its application in daily life will be considered. Students will use algebra and geometry to solve classic problems, and incorporate skills in technology to assist in data collection, interpretation, and presentation. Students learn through classic experiments and investigations, and they design a culminating project to demonstrate their skills. Selecting a meaningful related topic for a deeper investigation could allow an artistic student to investigate connections while researching the acoustics of a concert hall, the stage lights in a theater, or the lenses on a camera.
Physics: Electricity (SCI353)
2 CU, open to students in grades 11-12, 2nd semester This course will help students understand the classic concepts behind those electronic devices they carry with them every day. Topics covered include circuits, electric forces, magnetism and induction. The course starts with electrostatics and potential and gives students a view of modern electronics as well. Students will use algebra and trigonometry to solve classic problems, and incorporate skills in technology to assist in data collection, interpretation, and presentation. Students learn through classic experiments and investigations, and they design a culminating project to demonstrate their skills. A deeper investigation might have one student designing a circuit for a responsive light display, or another student could research the induction chargers used by some phones and determine the variables that affect their efficiency.
Physics: Modern Physics and Materials (SCI354)
2 CU, open to students in grades 11-12, 2nd semester This course navigates a variety of topics, including contemporary physics. Fluids, thermodynamics, and other topics about the micro and macrocosmos will be studied. The course looks at the connections between each new concept and its application to the world around us. Students will use algebra and trigonometry to solve classic problems, and incorporate skills in technology to assist in data collection, interpretation, and presentation. Students learn through classic experiments and investigations, and they design a culminating project to demonstrate their skills. Selecting a meaningful related topic for a deeper investigation could allow a curious student to understand the flow rate of a fountain for the Tower Hill gardens or the thermal energy and insulation required to maintain the water temperature through the winters.
HONORS COURSES
Honors Biology (SCI103)
4 CU, with permission of the department This accelerated course focuses on the big ideas of biology and sets the stage for active inquiry and participation. Topics include basic biochemistry, cellular processes, heredity, evolution, and ecology. In addition to the traditional teaching and learning methods, inquiry-based lab activities will give students a strong background for further study in upper-level biology courses. Assessments will largely center on application, analysis, and synthesis in order to demonstrate understanding of content. This course assumes a higher level of independent work from students that requires sufficient time to accomplish additional daily reading and homework assignments.
Honors Chemistry (SCI202)
4 CU, Biology or Honors Biology is a prerequisite, with permission of the department Students in this course explore the topics covered in Chemistry in more depth, with a focus on the use of more advanced algebraic and graphical interpretations of data. Through the study of atomic structure and bonding models, students will also investigate the relationship between physics and chemistry. Additional topics include solution state behavior, phase changes, and an introduction to thermodynamics. Lab work is highlighted, and students will learn to write a formal lab report and complete several inquirybased projects over the course of the year. Due to the accelerated pace and increased emphasis on mathematical interpretation of data, students must allow sufficient time to accomplish additional daily reading and homework assignments.
ADVANCED COURSES
Each gives students the opportunity to take the corresponding AP exam.
Advanced Physics I (SCI307)
4 CU, open to students in grades 11-12 This introductory course is equivalent to a first semester college course in algebra-based physics. If you plan to be pre-med, nursing, OT, PT, or many other such majors, this course is for you. The course covers Newtonian mechanics, including rotational dynamics and angular momentum; work, energy, and power; and mechanical waves and sound. It also includes an introduction to electric circuits. This course will prepare students for the AP Physics I exam as well as the SAT Physics subject test.
Advanced Physics II (SCI407)
4 CU, open to students in grades 11-12, Advanced Physics I or a comparable introductory physics course is a prerequisite, Precalculus is a corequisite. Advanced Physics II is a year-long algebrabased introductory college-level physics course. Students cultivate their understanding of physics through inquiry-based investigations as they explore these topics: fluids; thermodynamics; electrical force, field, and potential; electric circuits; magnetism and electromagnetic induction; geometric and physical optics; and quantum, atomic, and nuclear physics. This course requires that 25% of instructional time be spent in hands-on laboratory work, with an emphasis on inquiry-based investigations that provide students with opportunities to demonstrate the foundational physics principles and apply the science practices. Advanced Biology (SCI405)
5 CU, open to students in grades 11-12, with permission of Mr. Weymouth This course is the equivalent of a first-year university level course in biology. Topics studied in detail include molecules and cells, heredity and evolution, and organisms and populations. Two main goals of the course are helping students develop a conceptual framework for modern biology and an appreciation of science as a process. The primary emphasis is the development of an understanding of concepts rather than memorizing terms and technical details. Essential to this conceptual understanding are a grasp of science as a process rather than as an accumulation of facts, personal experience in scientific inquiry, recognition of unifying themes that integrate the major topics of biology, and application of biological knowledge and critical thinking to environmental and social concerns. This course will prepare students for the AP exam as well as the SAT Biology subject test.
Advanced Chemistry (SCI403)
5 CU, open to students in grades 11-12, with permission of Mr.Weymouth This course is equivalent to a first-year general chemistry college course. Building on Honors Chemistry, students will study chemical kinetics, equilibrium, acid-base chemistry, thermodynamics, electrochemistry, and advanced models of chemistry bonding and atomic structure. This course also focuses heavily on laboratory exploration and introduces the use of visible and infrared spectroscopy as data analysis tools. Students will continue to work on formal lab report writing and will learn to produce detailed graphical and mathematical analysis of data, as well as work towards creating their own procedures for inquiry-based labs. Due to the advanced nature of the class, students should be prepared to spend considerable time on homework, nightly readings, and lab reports.
Advanced Calculus-Based Physics (SCI409)
5 CU, a calculus course is a co-requisite, open to seniors, with permission of Mr. Weymouth This course is equivalent to a first-year college course in physics for scientists and engineers. The first half will focus on Newtonian mechanics, while the second half covers electricity and magnetism. The course closely follows the AP Physics C curriculum in both mechanics and electricity and magnetism, and students will be expected to take the two corresponding AP exams in May. More advanced topics will be covered after the AP exams.
ADDITIONAL COURSES
Environmental Science (SCI309)
4 CU, open to students in grades 11-12 Environmental Science is a multidisciplinary class exploring topics from geology, biology, chemistry, geography and ecology. It will focus on the current and past attitudes relating to the environment and natural resources and the interaction and complexities of humans’ interests. Students will discuss environmental issues such as climate change, natural resource use, and endangered species. Through identifying and analyzing natural and humanmade environmental problems, students will look for solutions to these issues through field projects, simulations, citizen science, and scholarly research.
Human Anatomy (SCI413)
2 CU, open to students in grades 11-12, both semesters of the human body. During this course, students will learn all of the bones and a majority of the muscles in the human body. The course will cross the disciplines of art and physics by using modeling clay, drawings, and applying biomechanical principles to understand the structure and movement of the body. Several dissections have also been added to the course to provide a hands-on three dimensional perspective to the human structure. Simulated clinical settings in the classroom further allow the student to utilize peer-to-peer teaching methods while using our own bodies as models. The course content is presented in a manner that directly relates to the recognition and treatment of sport specific injuries. If you are interested in becoming an allied health care professional such as an athletic trainer, physical therapist, nurse etc., this would be a great starter course. 2 CU, open to students in grades 11-12, 2nd semester Marine Biology will introduce students to diverse marine environments, explore aquatic species’ adaptations, and discuss the impacts of humans on our oceans. This course discusses the chemical and physical properties of oceans, the ecological interactions between marine species, the evolution and diversity of marine life, and critical conservation issues. Emphasis will be placed on local conservation issues, but students will also explore global issues such as the effects of climate change on species migration patterns and coral reefs through citizen science and scholarly research.
